Temporary Activity visa (subclass 408)

Other Social and Cultural Activity (Invited Participant) stream

This visa lets you come to Australia if you are invited to participate in a community-based event, including sporting events. You and your family who travel on the visa with you can stay here for up to 3 months.

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For Applicants

For Sponsors

Overview

Stay

Up to 3 months

Cost

From AUD415.00

Processing times

For an indication of processing times for this visa, use the visa processing time guide tool. This will show the processing times for recently decided applications. It is a guide only and not specific to your application.

With this visa you can

You must have been invited to take part in a community-based event in Australia
You can stay in Australia for up to 3 months with members of the family unit
You can apply for the visa in or outside Australia but not in immigration clearance

See all conditions

Check your eligibility

You must

be invited to take part in the event
apply online
have a sponsor or supporter

Help with your visa

If you are getting help with your visa, before you pay someone, read information on Who can help with your visa application.

About this visa

With this visa, you can

How long you can stay

Stay longer

Include family

Cost

Apply from

Processing times

Your obligations

Travel

Visa label

With this visa, you can

take part in a community-based event for a cultural or social activity such as a sporting, religious, artistic or academic event, or a conference
travel to and from Australia as many times as you want while your visa is valid
include members of the family unit in your visa application

Examples of cultural or social events

You might be:

an individual sportsperson or member of a sports team, or team support staff such as a manager, medic, coach, referee or official. But you are not eligible for this stream if you have been contracted to play for or coach an Australian team
a minister conducting religious services or taking part in other religious activities as the guest of an Australian religious institution
working at a religious event
an academic invited by a tertiary academic institution to lecture, hold workshops or take part in research
a public speaker or lecturer
speaking, presenting or lecturing at a trade fair, expo, exhibition, conference, workshop or seminar
an entertainer attending specific promotional events, but not performing
an artist making visual art or exhibiting your work
an author, presenting your work to an audience at a writers festival
a choreographer conducting a dance workshop that includes an unticketed closing performance

If you are a competitor in a non-sporting competition such as a dance competition, music competition, online gaming competition or student competition, you might also consider a Visitor visa.

Other visa options

Depending on your reasons for travel, another stream of this visa or a different visa might be more suitable.

The Entertainment stream must be used if you are:

an entertainer or performer working in the Australian Entertainment industry
production crew for a competition being filmed in Australia
a journalist or other media personnel covering an event for an Australian audience

The Sports stream might be more suitable if you are:

a sportsperson contracted to play for or coach an Australian sporting team
a sports trainee taking part in a high-level structured sports training program of more than 3 months

The Religious Work stream might be better for you if you are doing full-time religious work.

The Research stream might be better for you if you are invited by a tertiary academic institution to take part in research for more than 3 months.

The Temporary Work (Short Stay Specialist) (subclass 400) visa might be more suitable if you are:

a journalist or other media covering an event, where coverage is not intended for an Australian audience
someone else working at the event,such as a project manager or specialised construction worker

A Visitor visa might be more suitable if you are:

attending or taking part in a trade fair, expo, exhibition, religious or cultural event, conference, workshop or seminar, but you are not entertaining or being paid to contribute
an amateur sportsperson training or taking part in a recreational match
an unpaid volunteer supporting an amateur sportsperson or team

How long you can stay

This is a temporary visa. We grant the length of stay based on the activity we approve you to do on the visa.

The maximum stay for this visa stream is 3 months.

The visa is granted with multiple entry. You can leave and re-enter Australia as many times as you want while the visa is valid.

If you are overseas when the visa is granted, the visa stay period starts on the day that you enter Australia. If you are in Australia, the visa starts on the day that it is granted.

Your visa grant letter will tell you how long you can stay.

Stay longer

You can't stay in Australia longer by extending this visa. Explore your visa options.

Include family

You can:

include members of the family unit in your application when you apply, or
add family members to your application at any time before we make a decision

Family members who apply for the visa with you must also meet our health and character requirements.

Subsequent entrants

If we grant you the visa, your family members might be able to apply to join you in Australia later as a subsequent entrant.

Cost

The visa costs AUD415.00 for the main applicant.

There is also a charge for each family member who applies for the visa with you.

You might also have to pay other costs for health checks, police certificates and biometrics.

To work out what your visa will cost use the Visa Pricing Estimator. The estimator does not take into account the other costs.

Apply from

You can be in or outside Australia when you apply for the visa and when we decide on your application.

Processing times

Your application might take longer to process if:

you don't fill it in correctly
you don't include all the documents we need, or we need more information from you
it takes us time to verify your information

We can't process your application if you don't pay the correct visa application charge. We will let you know if this is the case.

Your obligations

You and your family must meet all visa conditions and follow Australian laws.

Learn more about conditions for this visa.

Your activities must not harm the work, training or job conditions of Australian citizens or permanent residents.

If your sponsor, supporting organisation or individual stops your activity or employment, you must either:

apply for a new visa if eligible, or
leave Australia within 28 days of stopping work for your sponsor or supporter, or before your visa expires if that happens sooner

Travel

You can travel outside Australia and return as many times as you want while the visa is valid.

The time you spend outside Australia does not extend the visa.

Visa label

We will digitally link your visa to your passport. You will not get a label in your passport.

If we grant you a visa, we will send you a grant notification letter containing the visa grant number. You can use this number to access your digital visa record.

Eligibility

Be invited to take part in a social or cultural community activity

You must be invited to travel to Australia temporarily by an Australian organisation to take part in a social or cultural activity associated with a community-based event.

Have a supporter or sponsor

You need a supporter

You don't need a sponsor to apply for this visa if you:

apply outside Australia, and
intend to stay for less then 3 months

You must have a supporter to apply for this visa.

You need a sponsor

You need a sponsor to apply for this visa if you in apply in Australia.

Be able to support yourself and any dependants

You must have access to enough money during your stay in Australia to support yourself and any dependent family members who travel with you.

Meet the health requirement

You and any family members who apply for the visa with you must meet our health requirement.

Meet the character requirement

You and family members aged 16 years and over who apply for the visa with you must meet our character requirement.

Have adequate health insurance

You are personally liable for all your healthcare costs while you are in Australia. Medical insurance helps limit your financial liability.

You must have adequate health cover for the whole of your stay to be granted this visa. Your cover should cover you for medically necessary treatment, including transport.

See what we consider adequate health insurance.

See more about health insurance for overseas visitors.

Reciprocal healthcare agreements

Some countries have a reciprocal healthcare agreement with Australia. Find out more from Services Australia about reciprocal healthcare agreements.

Be a genuine temporary entrant

You can't use our temporary visa program to maintain ongoing residency in Australia.

The genuine temporary entrant (GTE) requirement helps us to make sure that you use temporary visas correctly.

We generally do not let temporary residents extend their stay in Australia beyond 4 years by applying for this visa.

We must be satisfied that you have a genuine intention to stay here temporarily.

When assessing your application, we will consider:

your situation
your immigration history
compliance with visa conditions
if you are under 18 years old, the intention of your parent, legal guardian or partner
any other relevant matter

Have paid back debt to the Australian Government

If you owe the Australian Government money, you must have paid it back or have a formal arrangement to pay it back.

Sign the Australian values statement

If you are 18 years of age or older, you must acknowledge the Australian values statement that confirms you will respect the Australian way of life and obey Australian laws when you apply for the visa.

Declare you have not paid for visa sponsorship

You must declare whether you have ever engaged in conduct that could constitute a breach of the prohibition on paying for visa sponsorship when you apply for the visa.

Not had a visa cancelled or an application refused

We will consider your immigration history when we make a decision on your application, which means you might not be eligible for this visa if you have had a visa cancelled or refused.

In some circumstances you may still apply for a permanent visa if you have had a visa cancelled or an application refused see Limitations on applications in Australia.

If applying for a visa from outside Australia see Can I go to Australia.

If you want immigration assistance, see Who can help with your visa application.

Meet all these criteria? Check how to apply in our step by step guide.

Step by step

Step 1

Before you apply

You must have an eligible sponsor or supporter. Let us know if you are getting help with your application.

Get help with your application

Only some people can help you with your application. If you appoint someone to give you immigration assistance they must be:

You can appoint anyone to receive documents on your behalf relating to your visa matter.

Step 2

Gather your documents

Provide evidence to support your application, incuding sponsor or supporter documents.

Provide accurate information

Provide accurate information. See what happens if you can't prove your identity or don't provide true information.

Identity documents

Provide the pages of your current passport showing your photo, personal details, and passport issue and expiry dates.

Also provide:

a national identity card, if you have one
proof of change of name

Documents that prove a change of name include:

a marriage or divorce certificate
change of name documents from an Australian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, or the relevant overseas authority
documents that show other names you have been known by

Sponsor documents

If you are being sponsored for the visa, provide evidence your sponsor:

is, or has applied to be, an approved temporary activities sponsor
will meet their obligations to you and anyone who applies for the visa with you

You must also provide evidence that your sponsor is:

an Australian organisation lawfully established and operating in Australia, or
an Australian Commonwealth, state or territory government agency, or
a foreign government agency operating in Australia

Also provide your sponsor's letter of invitation.

Supporter documents

You must provide evidence that your supporter:

is a person or organisation directly responsible for the event or events
has a formal role in preparing for, or conducting, the event or events

Also provide your supporter's letter of support.

Financial documents

Show us you can support yourself and anyone who comes to Australia on the visa with you by providing:

an employment contract or bank statements, or
evidence of your financial position from your bank or financial institution

We can also consider allowances, accommodation and other help from your employer.

Character documents

We will tell you if and when you need to get a police certificate.

Tell us you are getting help

To nominate someone to:

receive your correspondence, use Form 956A Appointment or withdrawal of an authorised recipient (301KB PDF)
provide immigration assistance, use Form 956 Appointment of a registered migration agent, legal practitioner or exempt person (308KB PDF).

Upload your written notification or your forms to ImmiAccount.

Partner documents

Provide your partner's:

identity documents
character documents
marriage certificate
documents about other relationships, if applicable

For de facto relationships provide either:

evidence that your relationship is registered by an Australian State or Territory
enough documents to prove you have been in a de facto relationship with your partner for at least 12 months before you apply

For both married and de facto applicants you must provide evidence that you are in a genuine and continuing relationship. Evidence can include but is not limited to:

joint bank account statements
billing accounts in joint names
joint leases or mortgages
documents that show your partner has lived at the same address as you

Dependants under 18 documents

For every dependant 18 years old or younger who is applying with you, provide:

copies of birth certificates or the family book showing the names of both parents of all your dependent children
copies of the adoption paper, if applicable.

Parental responsibility documents

You must get consent for any applicant under 18 years of age to migrate to Australia from anyone who:

has a legal right to decide where the child lives and
is not coming to Australia with the child

They must complete either:

Form 1229 Consent form to grant an Australian visa to a child under the age of 18 years (276KB PDF)
a statutory declaration giving their consent for the child to visit Australia on this visa

Alternatively, you can show us:

an Australian court order that allows your child to migrate to Australia, or
that the laws of your home country allow them to migrate

Include:

an identity document that shows the signature and photo of the person who completed the form or declaration, such as a passport or driver’s licence
adoption papers or other court documents if applicable

Dependants over 18 documents

To include your child who is over 18 in your visa application, they must be:

over 18 years of age but not yet turned 23, and dependent on you or your partner, or
over 23 years of age and unable to earn a living to support themselves due to physical or cognitive limitations and dependent on you or your partner

If your child is likely to turn 23 while your application is being processed, you will need to provide evidence they are dependent on you due to disability.

Provide:

identity documents
documents about their other relationships, if applicable
character documents

You must also provide proof the child is dependent on you.

proof of your relationship with the dependant such as a birth certificate or adoption papers
a completed Form 47a Details of a child or other dependent family member aged 18 years or over (307KB PDF)
proof of financial dependency such as bank statements, money transfers and rent receipts
if the child is aged 23 or is likely to turn 23 while your application is being processed, you must also provide a report from a qualified medical practitioner that states they are dependent on you or your partner due to the total or partial loss of their bodily or mental functions

Prepare your documents

Translate

Have all non-English documents translated into English.

Provide original and translated documents in your application.

Translators in Australia must be accredited by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters.

Translators outside Australia do not have to be accredited. But on each translation, they must include their:

full name
address and telephone number
qualifications and experience in the language they are translating

These details must be in English.

Note: You do not need to have any documents certified.

Scan or photograph

Scan or photograph all documents (English and non-English) in colour.

The scans and photos must be clear.

If a document is more than one page, save it all as one file.

Step 3

Apply for the visa

You must apply for this visa online. You can be in or outside Australia when you apply.

Provide accurate information

Provide accurate information. See what happens if you can't prove your identity or don't provide true information.

Apply online

We will not process your application until you pay the fee.

You must pay the fee and attach documents for all family members who apply.

Step 4

After you apply

We will let you know when we have received your application. See what you can and must do after apply.

Status updates

We can’t give updates on applications within the standard processing time.

You can check if we need more information from you in ImmiAccount

Travel after you apply

If you are in Australia, you don't have to tell us if you want to travel outside Australia while we process your application. This is because you can be outside Australia when we make a decision.

But if you leave Australia, make sure you have a valid visa to return.

Learn about visa expiry.

Health exams

If you didn't have health examinations before you applied, we will let you know if you need them. Check ImmiAccount.

Biometrics

We might ask for biometrics (fingerprints and photo). We will let you know if you need to provide them.

Attach more information

If you did not attach all documents when you applied, attach them as soon as possible in ImmiAccount.

We might also ask you to provide more information.

Stay lawful

If you are in Australia, make sure you stay lawful by holding a valid visa while we process your application.

If you were in Australia when you applied for this visa, you may be granted:

a Bridging visa A (BVA) if you held a substantive visa when you applied
a Bridging visa C (BVC) if you did not hold a substantive visa when you applied

If your current visa expires before we decide your application, the bridging visa will come into effect. You can stay in Australia on the bridging visa while we process your visa application. You can't re-enter Australia on a BVA or BVC - there is no right of return on these visas and they will cease on departure.

Learn more about visa expiry.

Check what conditions might apply to your bridging visa or the visa you have applied for with our condition checker.

Add family

You can add members of the family unit to your application before we decide on your visa.

Subsequent entrants

If we grant you the visa, your family members might be able to apply to join you in Australia later as a subsequent entrant. You should declare any family members you might wish to include on your visa when you apply, even if they don't plan to travel with you to Australia at that time.

Newborn children

Find out what to do if your child is born after you apply.

Mistakes on your application

Let us know as soon as you can if you made a mistake on your application.

Complete Form 1023 Notification of incorrect answers (168KB PDF) and attach it in ImmiAccount.

Help with your application

Let us know if you no longer want someone to:

receive your correspondence - complete Form 956A Appointment or withdrawal of an authorised recipient (301KB PDF)
provide immigration advice - complete Form 956 Appointment of a registered migration agent, legal practitioner or exempt person (308KB PDF).

Upload your written notification or your forms to ImmiAccount.

For more information see Who can help you with your application.

Tell us if things change

Tell us if things change after you submit your application but before we have made a decision.

Things you need to let us know about after you have applied include:

changes to your phone number, email, address or passport
changes to your marital or de facto status
the birth of a child
you want to withdraw your application

See how to tell us if your situation changes.

Step 5

Visa outcome

You can be in or outside Australia when we decide on your visa application. We will let you know our decision in writing.

If we grant your visa, we will tell you:

your visa grant number
the date your visa starts
your visa conditions, if applicable

Keep a copy of the decision.

If we refuse your visa, we will tell you:

why we refused the visa
whether you have a right to a review of the decision

We will not refund the application charge if we refuse your application.

When you have this visa

Coming to Australia

In Australia

Leaving Australia

Coming to Australia

Before you travel

Check your travel documents

You must have:

a valid visa to enter Australia
a valid passport or other travel document.

At the border

Completing an Incoming Passenger Card

All people arriving in Australia must complete the Incoming Passenger Card. You will be given this card onboard.

Leaving the airport faster

We have an automated process that uses facial recognition technology and your ePassport. You might be able to leave the airport faster if you use SmartGate.

In Australia

What you can do when you have this visa

take part in a community-based event for a cultural or social activity. This could include a sporting, religious, artistic or academic event, or a conference
travel to and from Australia as many times as you want while your visa is valid

To see your specific conditions and work entitlements use VEVO.

What you must do on this visa

You and your family members must meet all visa conditions and obey Australian laws.

See your conditions in VEVO.

Learn more about visa conditions and how they work.

Tell us if things change

Things you need to let us know about include:

changes to your phone number, email, address or passport
changes to your relationship status
the birth of a child.

See how to tell us if there is a change in your situation.

See how long you can stay

The visa stay period starts on the date you enter Australia.

You can check your visa stay period in your visa grant letter or use VEVO.

To see when you must leave, use VEVO.

Staying longer

You can't stay in Australia longer by extending this visa. You must apply for a new visa if you want to stay longer.

See your options.

Travelling on your visa

You must make your first entry to Australia by the date specified in the visa grant letter. This is the Must not arrive after date.

Once you make your first entry to Australia your Visa stay period starts. Your Visa stay period is the length of time you can stay in Australia.

You can travel outside Australia and return as many times as you want during the visa stay period while the visa is valid.

Time spent outside Australia does not extend the visa. The visa stay period does not start again each time you enter Australia. Any time you spend outside of Australia counts as part of the stay period.

See your conditions in VEVO.

Proving you have a visa

To prove you have a visa and show your conditions to someone, use VEVO.

To get proof of your travel in and out of Australia you can Request your international movement records.

Working

To see your conditions for work, use VEVO.

If you have permission to work, you are protected by Australian workplace law. See your workplace rights and entitlements.

Bringing family

Members of your family unit who did not apply for the visa with you might be eligible to apply for a subsequent entrant visa.

Apply for a subsequent entrant visa using the Temporary Activity, International Relations or Training Visa (Subsequent Entrant) (403,407,408) form in ImmiAccount.

Leaving Australia

Before you leave

Check your travel documents

You must have a valid passport or other travel document to leave Australia.

Ensure your visa is still valid.

See what to do if your visa has expired or is about to expire.

At the border

Departures SmartGate

We have an automated process that uses facial recognition technology and your ePassport. You might be able to leave the airport faster if you use SmartGate.

After you leave

Getting your superannuation

You are likely to have some money in a superannuation fund if you worked in Australia and you are:

aged 18 years or older
paid AUD450 or more before tax in a month.

See how to access your super.

Proving you have been to Australia

To get proof of your travel in and out of Australia request your international movement records.